Aerial flare



Patented June 15, 1943 NITE!) s'rArss PATENT ortica AERIAL FLARE Leonard Clark Sheldon, Hillsgrove, R. I.

Application February 11, 1941, Serial No. 378,428

9 Claims.

This invention relates to an aerial are designed to illuminate an area above it for the observance of air ships.

At the present time the use of search lights is the only means of observing from the ground the presence of an air ship above the ground, and such search lights must be assembled in large numbers and be of considerable size in order to be eiiective for the observance of the presence in the air of a ship in any given area. Such means is expensive, and even with an adequate number of search lights, it is not possible to completely illuminate all of the sky above the area to be defended.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a means whereby it will be possible to substantially wholly illuminate the sky above a certain area with the use of much less expensive equipment.

Another object of the invention is the illuminating of the sky by operation from an area which cannot be readily detected by an attacking plane, such as is possible of detection when search lights are used.

More speoically, an object of the invention is to make possible the observing of an enemy plane flying overhead at night without the use of search lights and from a position not bearing any definite relation to the ground area.

Another object of the invention is to provide a are which may be shot from a gun and then when reaching a predetermined height will illuminate the sky above it but not below it.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described, and

particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing:

Fig, l is an elevation, partly in section, illustrating a parachute supporting a flare in the operating position of the device in the air;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a projectile enclosing the aerial flare;

Fig. A3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, illustrating the parachute package as partially ejected from the projectile carrying it;

Fig. Ll is a section on line i-i of Eig. 2;

Fig. is a section on line 5 5 oi Fig. 3v; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the lower portion of the device such as shown in Fig. l with a modiiied arrangement of the parts.

In carrying out this invention, my general plan is to provide a transparent parachute which will support an opaque shield above `and upon Which there is mounted illuminating means.

The opaque shield may have a reflecting surface so as to throw the light from the illuminating means upwardly and by reason of the transparent parachute, the light will not be obstructed but will serve to illuminate the heavens above the opaque shield. I so arrange this mechanism that it may be housed within a projectile which may be either shot from a gun or projected as a rocket to be thereafter operated by a time fuse which will be carried by the shell, whereby the desired height may be attained above which it is desired to provide illumination; and the following is a more detailed description of the present embodiment of this invention, illustrating the preferred means by which these advantageous results may be accomplished:

With reference to the drawing, It designates a shell at the end of which there is threaded a time fuse I I of a type which is known in the projectile art. A sleeve I2 has a ange I3 which will engage a shoulder I4 in the shell to limit the axial movement of the sleeve with reference to the shell. A chamber I5 containing a certain eX- plosive I6 is provided between the upper end of the sleeve and the lower inside end of the fuse.

A base Il has a reduced portion EB to snugly, frictionally fit within the end of the shell Ill, while it is in engagement with the lower end of the sleeve, and is keyed thereto by means of pin I9 extending into notches 20 in the lower end of the sleeve. Thus, any rotative movement given to the sleeve will also be transmitted to the base. The limited movement of the sleeve is sufficient to force the base from the shell upon actuation of explosive means I6,

The base carries a package which is to perform the desirable results, which consists of a support 2i upon which there is mounted an illuminating means 22 consisting of a brilliant burning material 22a which will give on a large amount of light. This material is ignited by means of a friction pin embedded in a suitable fuse Illa which is capable of being ignited by the friction developed in pulling the pin di' therefrom. This pin 4i' is suspended from the parachute in a manner that the initial separation of the base and parachute will withdraw the pin ill from the fuse. Bows 23 are pivoted as at 2li to this support 2I and in turn support an opaque shield Z which may be folded into the compact relationshipshown in Figs. 2 and 3 with the bows extending up substantially vertically.

The opaque shield 25 will be provided with some relecting surface on its upper side so as to reflect the light given off bythe illuminating means 22. The bows 23 will be attached at their upper ends 26 to the base l1 by means of cords 21 so that, as the base Il, which is relatively heavy, drops away from the support 2l, the cords, being tensioned, will cause the shield 25 to open out into cone shape, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In some cases, however, instead of providing a weight separate from the support, as shown in Fig. 1, the support 2l and base Il may be fixed together (see Fig. 6), and the bows 28 may be of spring wire construction looped as at 29 and retained in closed position by a cord 46 secured to the ends 36 and shown in dot and dash lines. When the package is ejected from the sleeve the cord 46 will be ruptured, in a manner to be hereinafter described, which will release the tension of this spring arrangement and will force the shield 25 outwardly as shown in Fig. 6.

From the support 2|, vertical rods 39 extend upwardly, each provided with an eye 3l to which the cord 32 of the parachute is attached, the parachute proper being designated 33 and consisting of some transparent, fire-resistant material which may be folded into a compact mass 34, as shown in Fig. 2, but which will open out into a portion of a sphere, as illustrated in Fig. 1.

In some instances, instead of supporting the parachute as shown in Fig. l, wires 35 (see Fig. 6) may attach to the eyes 3S of the spring arm 28 and lead to a disc 31 which is swivelled to another disc 38 by the swivel connection 39. The cords 32 of the parachute in this case extend from the disc 38. In the instant construction an element 48 is secured to the swivel connection 29 and carries the friction pin 4l which as previously stated is embedded in the fuse 41a. Igniting the illuminating material will cause the flame produced to burn the cord 45 which extends across the upper part of the flame. The rupture of the cord 46 will release the tensioned spring wires 22 to open the shield 25.

It sometimes becomes desirable to provide a pilot chute 40 attached to the upper side of the center of the parachute 33 by means of cords iii to assist in opening the parachute 33.

When the projectile of the character here shown is shot from a gun, the rifling which is desirable will give to the projectile a certain rotation about its longitudinal central axis. It is desirable that no rotation be imparted to the package when it is ejected from the shell, as this might cause the cords of the parachute to become so twisted as to interfere with the normal opening of the parachute. Accordingly, I have provided a slot 43 in the sleeve l2 (see Fig. 3) which will be a portion of a helix and will engage a pin 44 fixed to the shell. The pitch of this helix will be such that the explosive material lli upon acting to cause axial movement will give to the sleeve a rotation in the direction opposite to the riiling suflicient to cause the package to be ejected from the shell substantially without any rotative movement. Accordingly, there will not be provided any twisting of the support and the base to tangle the cords 32 upon the opening of the parachute, thus retarding its operation.

I claim:

l. An aerial flare comprising a transparent supporting parachute and a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly thereof, and illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute.

2. An aerial flare comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended from said parachute, an opaque shield supported 0n said carriage and extending outwardly thereof, and illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute.

3. An aerial flare comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, and means for ejecting the said contents from said projectile.

4. An aerial are comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, means for ejecting the said contents from said projectile, and means responsive to said ejecting of the contents for igniting said illuminating means.

5. An aerial flare comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, means for ejecting the said contents from said projectile, and means responsive to the ejecting of said contents and opening of the parachute for igniting said illuminating means.

6. An aerial flare comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, means for ejecting the said contents from said projectile, and a friction fuse responsive to opening of the parachute for igniting said illuminating means.

7. An aerial flare comprising a projectile containing a transparent supporting parachute, a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported above the shield at a location to be positioned between said parachute and said shield for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, means for ejecting the said contents from said projectile, and means for neutralizing the rotation of the contents as ejected from the projectile by rotation opposite to the initial rotation given the projectile when ejected from a gun.

8. An aerial flare comprising a transparent supporting parachute, .a carriage suspended therefrom, an opaque shield supported on said carriage and extending outwardly therefrom, illuminating means supported on said carriage at a location to position the light on one side of the shield and facing said parachute for throwing light upwardly through said parachute, and a pilot chute for assisting in the operation of the parachute.

9. An aerial flare comprising a projectile having a shell, a base having a friction fit with the shell, a sleeve within the shell having limited axial movement relative to the shell but suicient to discharge the base from the shell, said shell being keyed to the base to rotate therewith, said base carrying a collapsible shield, a transparent parachute, and an illuminating means cach supported on said base so as to position said illuminating means between the shield and parachute when in open position, an ignitable propelling charge in said projectile to relatively move the sleeve in the shell, a time fuse carried by said flare to ignite said propelling charge and force the base from the shell permitting the parachute and shield to open and position said illuminating means between said shield and said parachute, and means responsive to the movement of the parachute relative to the shield for igniting the illuminating means.

LEONARD CLARK SHELDON. 

